This disclosure relates generally to the field of image processing. More particularly, but not by way of limitation, this disclosure relates to compensating for unwanted motion experienced during video image capture operations.
Today, many personal electronic devices come equipped with digital cameras that are video capable. Example personal electronic devices of this sort include, but are not limited to, mobile telephones, personal digital assistants, portable music and video players and portable computer systems such as laptop, notebook and tablet computers. One common problem with video capture is unwanted motion of the camera. While some motion may be desired (e.g., the smooth pan of a camera across a scene), other motion is not (e.g., motion introduced by shaky hands or walking).
Many video capture devices include a gyroscopic sensor that may be used to assist various device functions. Some devices may use gyroscopic data to adjust the device's lens and/or sensor mechanism before an image or frame is captured. Once captured, however, the image is retained as part of the video sequence without substantial modification. This approach is not, however, feasible for many devices incorporating video capture capability. For example, at this time it is generally considered unfeasible to provide movable lens mechanisms and such in small form factor devices.